Post anchored door latch



Oct. 6, '1931. w R SCHLAGE 1,826,093

POST ANCHORED DOOR LATCH Filed July 178, 1928 TORNEYS;

atented Oct 6,' 1931 --tJNiTED STATES PATENT carica 'WALTER B. SCHLAGE, 0F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO SCHLAGE LOCK COMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION F CALIFORNIA POST ANCHOBED DOOR LATCH Application led July 18, 1928. Serial No. 293,561.

This inventionrelates to door latches, such as shown in my co-pending application entitled Door latch liled April 18, 1928, Se-

rial 270,815, and especially to improvements 6 whereby the interlock between the -latch unit and the latch actuating unit is simplified and rendered more rigid.

The object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify the construcm tion and operation of door latches of the character described, and especially to provide an interlock between the latch actuating unit and the latch unit whereby they will be rigidly connected when assembled in a door, and whereby proper co-relation between the movable operating parts of the mechanism will be maintained, and binding action entirely eliminated. V The door latch is shown by way of illus- 2@ tration in the accompanying drawings, in

which.:

y Fig. 1 is a horizontal longitudinal section taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 2, said view showing the door latch assembled in the door,

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 1,

' Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the inner end of the inside spindle,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the inner 3@ end of the outside spindle,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the retractor, Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the inner end of the latch housing.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, A indicates a portion of a door in which the door latch is assembled and inserted. To receive the latch, two holes are drilled in the door, one through the edge, as indicated at B, to receive the latch housing, and one at right angles thereto, as indicated at C, to receive the escutcheon plates and the latch actuating mechanism. The latch mechanism comprises a housing, generally indicated at D, which consists of top and bottom plates 2 and 3, an end plate 4, and side plates 5 and 6. The inner end of the latch housing is closed by the end plate 4, but the side plates are each provided with three holes, such as indicated at 7, 8 and 9,

56 to permit the spindles to pass therethrough,

aand bottom sections, indicated at 1() and 11 respectively, and end sections 12 and 14. The retractor is guided by the top and bottom plates 2 and 3, and by the side plates 5 and 6, as the width of the retractor is equal to the spacing between the side lates and the height bottom plates of the housing.

The forward end of the retractor is provided with an opening 15. A bolt 16, suitably secured to the latch F, extends through this opening and it is secured to the retractor by means of a collar 17, and a head member 18. A bar 19 extends cross-wise of the housing and this bar is also perforated to permit the bolt 16 to pass therethrough. A spring v20 surrounds the bolt- 16, and is interposed between the latch F and the crossbar 19, and as such exerts a pressure which normally maintains the retractor 'and the latch in the extended position shown in Figs. 1 and`\2.

The latch actuating unit illustrated in the present instance consists of an outer escutcheon plate ,22, and an inner escutcheon plate 23. These plates engage the opposite face of the door, and they are secured thereto by a pair of posts 24 and 25, and a pair of cooperating screws 24a and 25a, which extend through the inner escutcheon plate. The posts 24 and 25 are formed integral with the outer escutcheon plate 22, or otherwise secured thereto, and their outer endsextend into perforated guide lugs 26 formed on the inner face of the escutcheon platev23 so as to maintain a coaxial alignment between the vis equal to the distance etween the top and escutcheon plates and the mechanism to be members form 'ournal members for a pair of spindles, in icated at 30 and 31. Both s indles are provided with knobs, such as sliown at 30a and 31a, and these knobs serve the function of transmitting rotary movement to the spindles when the door latch F is to be retracted or projected.

The spindles are constructed as shown 1n Figs. 1, 3 and 4. These spindles telescope, one with relation to the other, the largest diameter spindle 30 carrying the outer knob 30a and the smaller diameter' Spindle 3l carrying the inner knob 31a. In fact, the outer spindle 30 is extended into the bearing hub 27 of the inner escutcheon plate and as such rotates not only with relation to the bearing hub 27 but also with relation to the outer bearing hub 28. The inner spindle 31 in turn rotates within the outer spindle. Both spindles are cut away, as indicated at 32 and 33. A connecting web is left, as indicated at 34 and 35 and these webs form the function of roll back members, as they engage the inner end 12 of the retractor and as such impart a reciprocal movement thereto when one spindle or the other is rotated. The cut away portions indicated at 32 and 33 perform another function besides that of forming the roll back members 34 and 35- to wit/that of securing the spindles against endwise movement either'in an inward or outward direction. This is due to the fact that the cut away portions straddle the end plate 12 of the retractor and as the retrac-y tor 1s held against' lateral ymovement by means of the side plates 5 and 6 of the latch housing it is obvious that the spindles are secured against endwise movement in either direction.

In actual operationy when the door is prepared for the'reception of the door latch by drilling the holes indicated at B and C, it is first necessary to insert the latch housing D,

secondly, when this is inserted, the outer y escutcheon plate is 'applied to the door by inserting the posts 24 and 25 through the perforations 8 and 9 formed in the side plates 5 and 6 of the latch housing; third, applying the inner escutcheon plate 23 and securing it by means of the screws 24a and 25a; fourth, depressing the latch F or pushing it inwardly until the end plate 12 clears the opening 7, or until the end plate assumes the dotted line position shown at 12a, Fig. 6, fifth, inserting the outer spindle, and sixth, inserting the inner spindle.

It is then only necessary to release the latch so as to permit the retractor to move .forwardly to the full line position shown in Figs. 2 and 6. This forward movement causes the end plate 12 of the retractor to move inwardly, between the cut away portions 32 and 33 of the spindles, thus securing them against endwise removal. The knobs may then be applied if this has not already been done,

ailid the installation of the door latch is comete. p It is old to provide a latch housing such as here illustrated through which a spindle is passed, as through openings 7 to form an interlock between the latch housing and the spindle. Such an assembly, however, has proven impractical, as it has been diiiicult to maintain the right angular position between the spindle and the housing, and due to this difficulty, binding action would take place between the movable parts of the mecl1- anism. In the resent instance this diflculty has been entire y overcome by providing the anchor posts indicated at 24 and 25. These,` togethery with the spindles form a three point interlock between the latch actuating unit and the latch housing, and between the cooperating movable parts of the mechanism in both units. This three point interlock insures coaxial alignment of the escutcheon plates and the telescoping spindles so that no binding action can take place between the spindles proper nor between the spindles and the bearing hubs 27 and 28. Nor can any bindf ying action taker place between the retractor and the spindles as the latch housing is maintained at right angles to the spindles due to the three point interlock obtained by the anchor posts and the spindle proper.

Perfect co-relation and operation of the mechanism kis thus maintained and a rigid structure is provided, and an exceedingly simple structure and mechanism is insured.

While certain features of the present in-y 100 vention are more or less specifically described, I wish it understood that various changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims similarly that the materials and finishes of the several parts employed may be such as the manufacturer may decide, or varying conditions or uses may demand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a door latch of the character described a latch housing, a pair of escutcheon plates one on each side thereof, a spindle journalled in the escutcheon plates and extending through the housing and at right angles thereto, a post extending through the housing and secured at one end to one escutcheon plate, a guide member on the opposite escutcheon plate receiving the other end of the post, and means whereby the post is secured to the guide member.

2. In a door latch of the character de scribed, a latch housing, a pair of escutcheon plates one on each side thereof, a spindle journalled in the escutcheon plates and ex 125 tending through the housing and at right angles thereto, and a pair of posts extending through the housing, and secured at one end to one escutcheon plate, guide members on the opposite plate to receive the other ends 13o of the posts, and means whereby the posts Y are secured to the xide members.

3. In a door lato of the character described a latch housing, a pair of escutcheon plates one on each side thereof, n. spindle journalled in each escutcheon plate and extending into the housing and at right angles thereto, a pair of posts extending through the housing and secured at one. end to one escutcheon plate, guide members on the opposite escutcheon plate to receive 'the other ends of the posts and means whereby the posts ere secured to the guide members.

WALTER R. SCHLAGE. 

